


Goodbye

by Helis_von_Askir



Category: Highlander - All Media Types, Highlander: The Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:34:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27191800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helis_von_Askir/pseuds/Helis_von_Askir
Summary: Watching them pass on is never easy.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Paris, France, 2019

It was already late, his visitors had come and gone when Joe heard a knock at the door. When he looked up he saw the last person he expected to see in the few hours he had left on this Earth.

“Dig the bear, Old Man.” He told the oldest living Immortal once he was over his surprise.

Methos ran a hand over his facial hair. “I’m a respected historian now, I have to look the part. And it gives me another five to ten years.”

“You missed the others.” Joe pointed out.

“I know but I wasn’t in the mood for one of MacLeod’s lectures.” Methos sat in the chair next to the hospital bed.

Joe laughed. “Yeah, I’m glad you came though, Old Man. I’ve nearly given up hope.”

“I know, I’m sorry, Joe. But you know I’m not one for long goodbyes.” Methos smiled a bit.

“Then you’ve come at the right time. Doctors don’t think I’ll make it to tomorrow. They think I’m deaf because I’m old and sick but I heard them talk to Amy and Mac. They went home for a bit to clean up, they’ll be back in an hour or two, I think.” Joe tried to get comfortable in the bed but it was a battle he had lost weeks ago. “You should go see Mac, afterwards, I mean.”

“Still trying to play matchmaker, Joe?” Methos wanted to know. “Mac needs to grow up a bit more before I can stand his presence again. Even my patience has limits.”

Joe sighed. “I’m sure he didn’t mean what he said. You know how proud and stubborn that Scot can be. I just want you guys to be friends again.”

“Then it’s high time that he learned a little bit of humility. But I’m not here to talk about MacLeod.” Methos said quietly.

“Right, you’re here to watch an old man die.” Joe scoffed. “You’re not going to go soft on me, Methos?”

The old Immortal smiled a little. “Hardly, but it sucks to die alone.”

“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” Joe said. He tried to sound flippant about it but Methos could hear the fear underneath.

“It’s okay to be afraid, Joe.” Methos whispered.

“But I don’t want to be, Methos.” Joe confessed.

“I was.” Methos said quietly.

“I thought you couldn’t remember.” Joe challenged with a weak smile. A Watcher to the end.

Methos smiled a little. “No, I said everything before 5000 years ago is starting to blur, not that I can’t remember at all. And your first death, that stays with you the longest, I guess.”

“Are you going to tell me?” Joe wanted to know.

Methos shrugged. “Not much to tell, my tribe got caught in a sandstorm and we died.”

“Ah, and I don’t have my chronicle with me. Shame. The Watchers will have to continue to guess.” Joe joked. “What else do you remember?”

“Many, many things, Joe. Too many to go into now. You should conserve your strength for Amy.” Methos gently told him.

“We already said our goodbyes. This is now just a waiting game.” Joe told him. “Will you wait with me?”

Methos nodded. “Of course.”

“Even when MacLeod shows up?”

Methos smiled again. “Even then, my friend. I think I can endure him for your sake.”

“Thank you.” Joe whispered and smiled. Soon his family would be united again, if only for a few hours. For him that was enough, he was content.

“There is one other thing I remember clearly.” Methos suddenly said.

“What? Don’t let me die from suspension here.” Joe joked weakly. But he was dying he was allowed to make bad jokes.

Methos leaned forward until his mouth nearly touched Joe’s ear. “My name is Idiyan.”

Joe had asked to be buried next to Richie and Mac had been so touched by that he had immediately agreed to it. The Scot was so predictable.

The day of the funeral was cold and foggy. It fitted the mood of those attending perfectly. Joe had died shortly after midnight in his sleep. His heart had simply stopped beating. They had all been there: Amy, Mac, Methos, even Amanda. Despite being prepared for it Amy had started to cry in Amanda’s arms. The Immortal woman had joined her for a bit, though she would deny it should anyone ever ask her about it.

Methos and Mac had been civil to each other, if only for Joe’s sake. They would see this through and then go their separate ways again.

The old Immortal let the priest’s word wash over him without listening. No matter what time or religion the words were basically the same and he had heard them a million times already. Joe was gone forever and it hurt more than Methos had expected that it would.

Afterwards he said an old prayer to even older gods he had stopped believing in a long time ago. Just in case, he didn’t want Joe to get held up somewhere on the way into his heaven. And Methos had no doubt that if such a thing existed that Joe was going straight there.

_Gods, I sound like a fool,_ he berated himself but he still finished the prayer.

When he turned away from the grave he saw MacLeod standing behind him, obviously waiting for something. But Methos wasn’t in the mood to give the younger Immortal anything. MacLeod would either wise up or not, it was of no interest to Methos anymore.

“If you have something to say, MacLeod, say it.” He told the Scot quietly.

“You still don’t see anything wrong with what you did, do you?” MacLeod asked with a voice full of accusation.

Of course, like a dog with a bone MacLeod was unable to let go once he got his teeth in. So predictable. “No, as a matter of fact, I don’t. I told you before, MacLeod, I can live with everything I’ve done.” Methos told the younger Immortal.

And that was the real problem. MacLeod expected horror and revulsion from Methos for what the oldest Immortal had done. But Methos wasn’t horrified or repulsed by anything he had done. Would he do some things differently given the chance? Yes, of course, but probably not the things MacLeod expected. What the Highlander didn’t seem to realize was that Methos had grown up with a completely different set of morals and that he had retained these morals over the millennia. And why shouldn’t he? They’ve kept him alive for a very long time.

“But, you just…” MacLeod trailed off unable to even say it out aloud.

“I did what was necessary. One day you’ll understand that. If that is all you wanted to talk about then I’m off.” Methos said and walked away. As he had told Joe, MacLeod needed to learn some humility. He always judged people never even bothering to try to understand that they might come from a different perspective. If someone didn’t fit in his tight moral view they had to wrong, even evil. Foolish boy. As if the world was just there to be judged worthy by him.

When he passed Amanda and Amy by the immortal woman gave him an understanding nod. Methos gave her a small smile and headed for his car. He had another appointment to keep. He did after all have a life away from Clan MacLeod.


	2. Chapter 2

Paris, France, 2010

It was a miserable rainy night as Methos and MacLeod made their way home from Les Blues Bar. They had been drinking heavily and had discussed one aspect of history or another for hours. What else was there to do on a day like this?

Having been there for most of it, Methos had of course a slightly different view on things than Joe or even MacLeod. That he liked to rile his friends up with outrageous statements didn’t help matters either as far as MacLeod was concerned.

They were passing by one of the small half-forgotten parks when they felt the Buzz of another Immortal. Before they could even draw their swords they heard the outraged cries of a baby. It was coming from the park.

“You don’t think…?” Mac asked unsure, his sword held loosely in his hand.

“I hope to the gods not but it does sound that way.” Methos replied and carefully stepped forward. And there under a dripping bush lay a newborn baby, a boy, wailing at the top of his tiny lungs. Methos could understand the sentiment, dying out in the cold and wet sucked.

“What are we going to do?” Mac asked in a near panic.

Methos picked the baby up and cradled him in his arms, calming him down. He stopped crying quickly enough and a moment later he was asleep. “First of all, we need to get out of here before someone sees us and calls the cops down on us.”

Methos apartment was the closer and so they headed there. While Duncan called Joe with the news, Methos cleaned the little boy and wrapped him in a blanket to keep him warm.

“We’re going to have to buy clothes and diapers.” Mac commented when Methos came out of the bathroom with the child in his arms.

“Do we?” Methos replied, suddenly feeling very tired. Of course the Highlander didn’t want to think this situation through to the bitter end. But there really was only one thing left to do.

“Of course, we…” Mac trailed off when he realized what Methos was implying.” We’re not going to take his head. He’s just a baby.”

“And he will always be a baby. What else shall we do, Duncan?” Methos wanted to know. He still cradled the baby in his arms and had no intention of putting the boy down. The sooner they did this the better. “Shall we keep him? Dress him up and display him like some trophy?”

“No, of course no, but we could find him a safe place, somewhere on Holy Ground.” MacLeod suggested almost desperate.

“For how long? He’s never going to grow. He’ll always be depended on others for even the most basic things.” Methos pointed out.

“At least he would be alive.” The Scot said with conviction.

Methos scoffed. “That’s not a life, MacLeod. It is hell, never-ending hell.”

“Taking his head would be murder, Methos. He can’t even defend himself.” MacLeod pointed out angrily. “How could you live with that?”

“That’s exactly my point, Duncan. He can’t do anything, ever.” Methos replied calmly. “I know you can’t do it. I’m not asking you to. I’ll do it. The one mercy left to give. And for your information, I can live with everything I’ve done.”

“There must be another way.” Mac argued. “Let me call Joe, he’ll find something in the Chronicles.”

Methos shrugged. “Fine, go ahead, call him, but his answer will be the same as mine.”

It was the same and MacLeod didn’t like it. He kept pacing while Joe told him what he had found in the Chronicles. The old Watcher had even come over to break the bad news in person.

“The one case we have really well recorded says that the baby Immortal starved himself do death twice before the Immortal taking care of him accepted his decision and took his head. She had taken care of him for over thirty years.” Joe finished solemnly.

“Murder isn’t the answer. I’ll find another way.” Mac insisted.

Methos shook his head and after a quick glance at Joe drew his gun and shot MacLeod in the back. He had put a silencer on, no need to wake the baby.

“He’ll be pissed when he wakes up.” Joe pointed out calmly.

“I know.” Methos replied and put the gun away. “He’ll get over it in a couple of centuries or so.”

Joe nodded slowly. “You’re leaving, after, I mean.”

Methos nodded. “Something like this, MacLeod just can’t forgive. I’m sorry, Joe.”

“Yeah, me too.” Joe aid and watched Methos leave the apartment. Methos hadn’t been living here for long and it was a nice place but when you were as old as Methos such things didn’t really matter anymore, Joe assumed.

It didn’t take long for MacLeod to revive. “Where is he?” he demanded to know.

Jos shrugged. “He didn’t tell me.”

“If he thinks I’ll just wait until he comes back…” Mac started.

“He won’t be coming back, Duncan.” Joe interrupted him. “He knows you can’t forgive this, no matter how necessary.”

“Then I’ll find him before it’s too late.” MacLeod announced and stormed out. It already was too late. Methos hadn’t wasted any time, not with this. Joe had gotten the text twenty minutes ago.

End


End file.
